Field of Invention
The disclosed subject matter is in the field of air fresheners for air conditioning vents.
Background of the Invention
This relates to air fresheners, specifically to air freshener devices employing forced air which allow users to attach the device to an air vent grill or vent of a home or car air conditioning unit (“AC” or “HVAC System”). The most commonly used home air freshening devices are aerosol spray, incense sticks, diffusers, scented candles, or aromatic balls, which are placed in an area where the air is to be freshened. All of these air fresheners take up valuable space on various surfaces and detract from the appearance of the home. Another type of air freshening device includes the use of a housing that holds a volatile material in connection with an electrically heated vapor dispensing device. See U.S. Pat. No. 4,849,606 to Martens, III et al. None of the aforementioned devices use the forced air power from an HVAC system.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,527,493 to McElfresh shows a design for an air freshener device, which uses the air flow and attached directly to the air vent grill. This includes a housing and a reservoir of a volatile material, such as an air freshener fragrance. McElfresh discloses an air freshener that dispenses a fragrance into the atmosphere of an enclosed area and is attached to the air vent grill by alligator clips. However, its effectiveness is too low due to its small dimensions and alligator clips tend to lose their grip over time. Additionally, the back of the housing is not perforated and blocks the essential air flow from the AC unit.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,273,690 to McDowell discloses an air freshener device that is a combination of a forced air source with a carrier that has a plurality of fragrance of scented emitting ingredients arranged in separate cells or compartments that are arranged in rows and/or columns. Attachment elements secure the carrier to supporting structure so that released ingredient will enter the stream of forced air for distribution through a room. McDowelis effectiveness is too low due to its flat body, which only holds a very small amount of the fragrant substance and, accordingly, should be replaced frequently to keep air fresh and scented. Additionally, McDowell's apparatus is aesthetically unpleasing and flimsy since the carrier strips wave when in operation, which also makes unnecessary noise. On the other hand, the present invention is more aesthetically pleasing because it blends in with the vents as it is firmly attached into a vent.
U.S. Pat. App. No. 2012/0079945 to Roberts discloses an air freshener dispensing cover which covers an AC grate or vent and causes the airstream from an AC unit to be filtered through the cover and pass over a fragrance oil cartridge. This cover completely covers an air vent and features a more complicated installation process than the present invention. Also, Roberts affects the amount of forced air that is flowing into an area, so it lowers the efficiency and increases the time to cool or heat an environment.
Both U.S. Pat. No. 6,749,672 to Lynn and U.S. Pat. No. 6,117,218 to Snyder et al. show scenting devices for use with airflow conduits. These scenting devices are made from a special material and attached to an air filter of ventilation cover in existing heating, ventilating, or HVAC systems. However, these devices have to be installed inside the HVAC system and it is more complicated to install and maintain than the present invention.
Therefore, there is a need for an encapsulated air freshener for AC units with a forced direct air flow that provides an aesthetically pleasing design, easy installation and maintenance, and that does not significantly alter the efficiency of an AC unit.
Accordingly several advantages to the present invention is as follows: (a) it provides a means of odorizing an enclosed area such as room, office, and cabinet from forced air flow from an HVAC system; (b) it provides an air freshener with that does not require electricity or an electrical outlet to be employed; (c) it is user friendly because it is easy to install and maintain; (d) the perforated design of the housing integrates with general air vent design and does not disrupt the interior design of an environment; and, (e) the use of this device has therapeutic benefits for members of the household based on different scented fragrances. Further advantages will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings.